Teething Problems
by NettieC
Summary: Exhausted, Mac has spent days dealing with her baby's teething problems before calling her in-laws for reinforcement. Just when she thinks the worst is over, she is faced with teething issues from an unexpected corner.


Teething Problems

Disclaimer: not mine...but oh, if they were.

AN: It's a wet and cold here, not exactly the weather I wanted for a birthday weekend but what can you do? Anyway, this is my present to you - your present to me will be your reviews. Have a great weekend.

AN: Made all the edits to correct a few mistakes and then I had to login again not sure if they were saved...sorry.

Another sleepless night with a baby girl who was teething did nothing to improve Mac's demeanour. With the infant crying day and night, Mac had had little rest or peace and quiet in days nor had anyone else in the household and it was really beginning to show. David was cranky and his sleeping routine was way off and Ella looked as exhausted as Mac when she came in from school on Thursday afternoon.  
>"She's still crying?" Ella said, her tone defeated. "David was never this bad."<br>"I know, honey," Mac said embracing her eldest daughter. "But hopefully she'll feel better soon."  
>"She better, otherwise I'm moving in with grandma and grandpa," she said as she trudged down the hallway to her bedroom.<br>"Not without me," Mac muttered to herself. She had tried everything she could think of, she had searched online for other suggestions, she had even turned the music up high hoping it would make Ruby realise there was something louder than her in the world...it didn't work.  
>"What's for dinner?" Ella asked coming back from her room and dumping her books on the table.<br>"Dinner?" Mac repeated, she'd completely forgotten about it. "What would you like to have?"  
>"Quiet," she said with a sigh opening her maths book.<br>Mac could only laugh; Ella was definitely her mother's daughter.  
>"When's dad coming home?" she asked as she left the table to get a drink.<br>"Tomorrow or the next day," she said, bouncing her baby daughter in her arms.  
>"Can't he come home sooner?" she questioned, "Then you, me and Davy could go eat out..."<br>"That wouldn't be fair on daddy," Mac said, although her daughter's plan did have merits.  
>"Bad luck," she snapped. "Daddy has been away for three days and I bet he's slept well in his nice hotel and we have the scream machine."<br>Mac was going to argue that Harm was away working and that he wasn't out partying or shirking his responsibilities but the dark circles under her daughter's eyes made her realise that trying to reason with her wasn't worth the effort.

Just as Ruby seemed to settle in her arms, David let out a scream and Mac and Ella raced into the living room to see him standing there with a bloodied lip.  
>"What happened, baby?" Mac said, bending down and checking his lip.<br>"Fell," he said with a sniffle, pointing to the toddler chair upended on the floor.  
>"Oh, Davy, baby," she said, kissing his head. "Mommy will fix."<p>

With both her babies crying and Ella's eyes filled with tears, Mac took a deep breath.  
>"El, can you please grab me a Kleenex and an icy pole?" she asked, placing a screaming Ruby on the baby blanket on the floor.<p>

Taking David, she sat him on her lap and kissed his head. "You're okay," she soothed. Ella handed her the Kleenex and she dabbed carefully at his lip, cleaning up the blood trail over his lip and down his chin. Opening his mouth, Mac saw it wasn't a cut to his lip which was the problem; it was a bite to his tongue.  
>"This icy pole will make it feel better, honey," she said, unwrapping it. "It's orange, your favourite." She smiled her thanks at Ella for picking the perfect treat.<p>

Meanwhile, Ella picked up Ruby and held her close, rocking her as she had seen her mother do. "Will an icy pole help her?"  
>"I've already tried," she said, her head throbbing.<br>"Ru hurts my head," David said tearfully as he snuggled closer to Mac.  
>"Mine too, Davy," she said, kissing him.<p>

When David was feeling better and Ruby had stopped crying for a bit, Ella returned to the kitchen table as Mac went to the bathroom before going into her bedroom and picking up the phone. It was time for the 'last resort' option.  
>"Trish, I really hate to ask but..."<p>

Twenty four minutes later, Trish and Frank pulled up and were greeted like long lost friends.  
>"Oh my goodness," Trish said, looking from Mac to Ella to David, "You all look exhausted."<br>"Ruby won't stop crying," Ella said exasperated. "Well, she has now but it's been waa waa waa for days...and nights."  
>"Hurt mouf," David said, poking out his tongue so his grandparents could see.<br>"Oh, honey," Trish said, picking him up and kissing his head.  
>"And how are you, sweetheart?" Frank asked, sliding his arm around Mac's waist.<br>"What comes after exhausted?" she questioned with a weary smile.  
>"We thought as much," Trish said. "And that's why we've changed the arrangements we made on the phone earlier."<br>Mac fought not to burst into tears.  
>"Instead of taking Ella and David, we're taking Ruby," Frank said, squeezing her. "While we understand you not wanting to make us suffer with her crying, you are in as much need of sleep as the kids."<br>"Are you sure?" Mac asked, hoping they wouldn't change their mind.  
>"Positive, honey," Trish said, putting David down and hugging Mac. "You, my dear, are absolutely exhausted. Why didn't you call yesterday?"<br>"I thought I could get her to stop," Mac said tearfully, resting her head on Trish's shoulder. "And I didn't want to burden you."  
>"She is our granddaughter, you are our daughter," Trish said pulling back and caressing Mac's face. "It's never a burden."<p>

With Ella and Mac working together, Ruby's things were packed within five minutes and Frank was reversing out of the driveway within ten.  
>"Why quiet?" David asked looking at his mom.<br>"Grandma and grandpa took Ruby home," Ella said, wrapping an arm around her mom's waist. "And we love them for it," she added with a smile.  
>"I'm hungry, mommy," David said, hugging Mac's legs.<br>"What would you like for dinner, baby?" she asked.  
>"Burger King," he said and Ella nodded.<br>"Burger King would be good, mom, and the best thing is there's no dishes," she added.  
>"Burger King it is," Mac agreed.<p>

Both children were fed, bathed and in bed by seven, something unheard of in the Rabb household. Phoning Trish to check on Ruby, she heard the child screaming in the background and the pang of guilt which had been in residence since they took her home became a dagger.  
>"You can bring her back..." Mac said with a sigh.<br>"No, we won't be bringing her back, honey," Trish said. "You and the children are going to sleep and, tomorrow, when you're refreshed, you can have her and we can sleep. And if that's what we have to do until this passes, then that's what we'll do."  
>"I love you, Trish," Mac said tearfully. "Thank you."<br>"I love you too, sweetheart, and you're very welcome," she said. "Now, got to bed."

Concluding the phone call, Mac called Harm, not wanting to risk him phoning when she was asleep and waking her. Alas, she only got his voicemail and after telling him she missed him and loved him, she told him she would call him the following morning as she was planning on actually sleeping all night.

By the time the mantle clock in the living room struck eight, Mac, too, was asleep.

Ten the following morning, Mac was still asleep. It was the covers being pulled back and David crawling in beside her that woke her.  
>"Morning, baby," she said caressing his head.<br>"Hi, mommy," he said, closing his eyes.

Closing her eyes, Mac registered the time and her eyes popped open as they sought out confirmation from the alarm clock. 10:36 shone out at her and Mac blinked several times; so much for school for Ella. Reaching backwards, she picked up her cell and called Trish, pleased to hear Ruby had a fairly settled night.  
>"Why don't you have a lazy day with the kids and come over for an early dinner and a visit?" Trish offered. "We're more than happy to have Ruby another night or two."<p>

After another thirty minutes curled up with David, Mac woke again to her face being patted.  
>"Are you hungry little man?" she asked with a yawn and before long David was sitting in his highchair enjoying cereal for breakfast.<p>

Padding down the hallway, Mac slowly opened Ella's door not wanting to wake her if she was still sleeping.  
>"Is it time for school?" Ella asked with a weary yawn.<br>"No school for you today," Mac said, sitting on the side of the bed and caressing her daughter's face. "We overslept. It's after eleven."  
>"No!" she said, sitting up and looking at her clock. "I slept more than 16 hours!"<br>"We all did," Mac said feeling more like her old self.  
>"Gee, babies take it out of you, don't they?" Ella said, swinging her legs around.<br>"Yes, they do," Mac said, kissing her head. She was such a wise girl.

After their very late breakfast, which was effectively lunch, David happily played with his cars and blocks in the living room while Ella sat out on the back porch listening to her iPod and catching up with the homework she'd abandoned the night before. Moving around the house, Mac was working hard to ensure she caught up on all the housework she had ditched in the preceding days as she held onto a distressed little girl.

By midafternoon, Mac couldn't stand the quietness. Yes, a teething, screaming, non-sleeping baby was a lot to deal with but she missed her precious bundle very much. It was of no surprise to Trish that Mac pulled her car up in their driveway before four.  
>"Thought you'd be here earlier," Trish said, making her way to the car to retrieve David.<br>"Am I that predictable?" Mac asked with a wry smile.  
>"It's experience," Trish replied. "Harm was two when I left him with my mother for a few nights so his father and I could spend some time together before he deployed. I had planned it for weeks, the activities, the hotel...I had planned every detail except one."<br>"What was that?" Mac asked, trailing Trish into the house.  
>"How much I would miss my little boy," she said with a smile. "We had driven 50 miles and I think I cried for most. Harmon turned the car around and we picked the boy up before lunch."<p>

Mac laughed; glad she wasn't the only one who couldn't be apart from her children too long.

Ruby was settled and Mac relished in seeing a more contented baby than the red faced screaming mess she was the day before. Cradling her daughter to her, Mac kissed and stroked her face tenderly, quietly singing to the infant, as she fed her. With her older two happy to occupy themselves in playroom and Frank busy preparing dinner in the kitchen, Trish brought Mac a coffee and sat beside her on the soft, brown leather sofa in the living room.  
>"Feel better," Trish said, placing the coffee on the table beside her.<br>"Yeah," Mac said. "I know it's silly to miss her so much but I did and I felt bad not being able to care for her."  
>"It's not silly, sweetheart," she replied. "You were sleep deprived, as too were Ella and David. Something had to give and it was best for you all."<br>"I'm so glad we have you," she said, looking up and smiling at Trish.  
>"Well, I'm very glad to have you too," she said, leaning over and kissing Mac's head, before kissing Ruby's too.<p>

It had been a well kept secret for years that Frank was a whiz in the kitchen. It is something even his wife hadn't discovered until he reduced his working hours and had more free time. Now, fully retired, he could often be found in the kitchen whipping up some culinary delight or other.  
>"Ready for dinner?" he asked appearing at the door.<br>"It smells great," Mac said smiling appreciatively. "What are we having?"  
>"Moroccan beef skewers served on a bed of couscous with a zesty yoghurt lemons sauce and a cucumber salad on the side," he replied proudly.<br>"Sounds amazing," Mac said, salivating at the thought of the tasty meal.

And she was right! It had the perfect blend of exotic flavours cooked to perfection and Mac enjoyed every morsel, as too did everyone else.  
>"Why haven't we had this before?" Mac said, after her second helping.<br>"I had just recently perfected the recipe and it's hard to do something like this and cater for Harm," he said. "Today was the perfect opportunity to make it for you."  
>"We have to send daddy away more often," Ella said, wiping her mouth. She had enjoyed it greatly too.<p>

After a few hours with the in-laws, Mac figured she should pack up the tribe and head for home; after all, there was still a lot to do. When pressed on it, she reeled off a list of household chores which needed her attention.  
>"Well, Ruby is sleeping and David isn't far away," Frank said, "Why don't you leave them here and I'll bring them home after breakfast."<p>

Mac's first instinct was to shake her head.

"Mom, it would be good," Ella said, she loved her brother and sister very much but after being an only child for nearly eight years, she found the addition of two babies in two years a little difficult at times. Especially when it meant she didn't have the same opportunities for her mom's attention as she once had. "We could do something together, couldn't we?" she asked hopefully.

Mac was about to explain why the babies needed to come home but she caught the look on Ella's face and reconsidered.  
>"I think we'll take you up on your offer, thanks, grandpa," Mac said, wrapping her arm around Ella. "But make sure you call if there are any problems ..."<p>

Twenty minutes later, after putting her youngest two to bed in their father's old room, Mac and Ella headed out. As they drove away, Mac reached across and squeezed Ella's hand. "What would you like to do, sweetie?"  
>"Can we pick up some ice cream and go home and play Monopoly, please?" she asked and Mac grinned, it sounded like the perfect Friday night to her.<br>"What ice cream would you like?" she asked, planning her drive home.  
>"Well, if we stop at Ghirardelli's we could get ice cream and chocolates," Ella said excitedly.<br>"You're definitely mommy's girl, aren't you?" Mac said laughing. That was exactly what she had in mind.

The girls' night in consisted of ice cream, soda, chocolate and half a game of Monopoly before abandoning it to watch Ella's Momma Mia DVD. Even though it was nearly 12:00, Mac didn't send Ella to bed, given she had slept in so late, instead, as the clock struck midnight, they were busy dancing around the living room singing their hearts out.  
>It was this scene which greeted Harm when he came home unexpectedly.<br>"Daddy!" Ella squealed when she saw him before running over and jumping up into his arms. "Welcome home!" she added squeezing him tightly. Mac grabbed the remote and muted the DVD.  
>"Hey, Harm," she said, making her way over before hugging and kissing him, "We weren't expecting you home."<br>"Obviously," Harm replied with a furrowed brow,  
>"What's wrong, daddy?" Ella asked, still in his arms.<br>"I'm just surprised you and mommy are making so much noise at midnight with two babies sleeping in the house," he said, putting her down and shrugging out of his jacket.  
>"No babies here tonight," Ella said, grabbing his jacket and moving to hang it up. "Just momma and mia," she said laughing.<br>"Ella wouldn't be hyped up on ice cream and chocolate, now would she?" Harm asked, wrapping his arms around Mac's waist and drawing her closer.  
>"Of course not," Mac said, pushing up on tiptoes to kiss him.<br>"It's very late for her, isn't it?" he asked, kissing her back.  
>"Yes," she agreed before explaining the happenings of the day.<br>"Oh, okay," he said nodding.  
>"You sound disappointed," she remarked quietly as Ella returned.<br>"Well, my plan was to come home and find you in bed and take things from there," he whispered suggestively into her ear.  
>"Well, I'm sure we can incorporate your plans into the evening," she whispered before kissing his ear. The man's plans had definite merits.<p>

With only twenty minutes left on the DVD, Harm went to shower and unpack while the girls watched the end of the movie. He could only smile when he heard their voices singing the theme song loudly and off key. They were his girls and he loved them to pieces.

When the screen finally went black, Ella declared it was time for bed and put her arms up for Harm to carry her.  
>"You're a bit big to be carried to bed, aren't you?" he questioned, scooping her up.<br>"Maybe," she replied, resting her head on his shoulder. "But you always say I will always be your little girl so I guess you'll always be carrying me to bed."  
>"You're very cheeky," he said, leaning down and kissing her nose.<br>"That's because I take after mommy," she said with a giggle as Harm settled her in the bed.  
>"Thank you for a great night, mommy," she said as Mac appeared by her bedside. "I had the best time."<br>"Me too, baby," she replied kissing her head. "It was lots of fun."  
>"We need to get rid of the babies more often," she said, adjusting the covers. "I love them and all but I miss it being just the three of us too sometimes."<br>"Maybe we can organise something with grandma and grandpa," Harm said, kissing her head, feeling for his daughter. "But right now it's time to sleep. Love you, baby."  
>"Love you, daddy," she replied. "Love you, mommy."<br>"Love you too, Ella," Mac replied before kissing her once more and letting her husband lead her from the room as he turned off the light.  
>"Sweet dreams, El," he called.<p>

Soon it was just the two of them in their bedroom and Harm took no time in abandoning the fresh pyjamas he'd just put on. Making sure the privacy latch was on the door; Harm then turned his attention to undressing his wife, something he always enjoyed immensely. This was followed by long, sensual kisses, with whispered declarations of love and adoration. He'd only been away four days but it felt like forever and he was desperate to show Mac just how much he loved her and missed her.  
>"Slow down, slow down," she whispered when Harm's kisses became more urgent. "We've got all night."<p>

Remembering there were no babies in house to wake and demand their attention, Harm slowed down. There were plenty of other nights where speed would be of the essence. As Mac's hands drifted down his body, her lips followed suit and gently kissed and nipped and sucked his skin as she went. Groaning as her lips found his left nipple, Harm realised things weren't going to last all that long given the state he was currently in.

Managing to pull back just enough, Harm scooped his wife up and gently placed her in the middle of their bed before covering her with his body.  
>"I love you so very much, Mac," he whispered, leaning down and kissing her again and again and again.<br>"Love you too," she managed to reply as a dozen different sensations rippled through her body.

It wasn't long before Harm's lips were over hers smothering her cries of ecstasy as she rode a wave of orgasmic bliss. Wanting a moment to catch her breath, Mac changed positions but Harm had other plans and started things once more with greater intensity and a faster pace. It was no surprise to either of them that when they fell asleep thirty minutes later both were exhausted and very satisfied.

Thanks to her pregnancies, Mac wasn't able to get through the night without a trip to the bathroom and, just after five, she threw on her nightie and wandered across the room to the bathroom. Unlocking the privacy latch as she returned to the bed, something she always did to ensure the kids could come in in the morning, Harm stirred and Mac handed him his boxers which he pulled on. He'd learnt early on that sleepily climbing out of bed naked with a three year old daughter awake on the other side of his wife resulted in a whole lot of questions he didn't want to answer.  
>"Thank you for last night," Mac said as she nestled against him.<br>"You're welcome," he replied, kissing her head and pulling her closer. "Thank you as well."  
>"You're always welcome," she said, kissing his chest.<p>

It was an hour or so later, Ella knocked on their door and not hearing an answer slowly opened the door.  
>"Mommy," she called quietly. "Mommy!"<br>"What's wrong, baby?" she asked, opening her eyes and turning, her back pressed against her husband.  
>"My tooth's sore," she said, climbing into the bed and snuggling into her mother.<br>"The same one as last week?" she asked, kissing Ella's head.  
>"Aha," she replied sadly.<p>

Mac wrapped her tightly in her arms and kissed her once more. "Do you think I need to call Dr Westcott and see if he can see you today?"

Ella nodded and Mac frowned. Her daughter wasn't fond of the dentist and to want to go meant she was in considerable pain. "Okay," she replied, rubbing her back. "We'll get up and ready for 9:00, when he starts and phone him then."  
>"Can I please stay with you until then?" she asked, looking up at her mom with tear filled eyes.<br>"Of course you can, baby," she said, adjusting the covers around her and caressing her until she fell asleep.

When Harm awoke after seven, he realised they were sharing the bed. Kissing his wife's head, Harm reached across to pull the blanket up a little higher on their daughter. Mac moved her hand and caught his before entwining their fingers.  
>"When did she come in?" he whispered, kissing her shoulder.<br>"53 minutes ago," Mac replied. "She has a toothache. I said we'd call Dr Westcott first thing."  
>"Poor thing," he replied. He knew Ella wasn't keen on the dentist but then neither was he. However, that was his secret, something he had managed to keep from his wife, thanks to good teeth and a good diet.<br>"It's the same one from last week," Mac said, referencing the pain she had experienced after biting down on an unpopped popcorn kernel. At the time, Mac thought the pain would abate but it seemed as if there was an underlying problem.  
>"Do you think Dr Westcott will be available?" he asked quietly.<br>"Yeah, he's pretty good at seeing kids when they're in pain," she said from experience. She had to wait for her own check up when a child was brought in.  
>"Well, if you take her, I'll go get the babies," he offered, not wanting to go anywhere near the dentist.<br>"Frank is bringing them back," she said, "And I'd really like to feed Ruby so would you mind taking her?"  
>"Can you, dad?" Ella asked. "You've never taken me before and you promised you'd take me last time but then you have that emergency thingy and grandma did."<br>Harm nodded; that emergency thingy was in fact a case of cowardice and nothing else.  
>"Please, dad," she asked.<br>"Sure, Ella," he replied, after all, there wasn't much else he could say.

Mac thought it was good luck that Dr Westcott had said to bring Ella straight in. Harm was sure he'd say it was a Saturday and he was booked solid.  
>"Do you think Ella would mind if you took her?" Harm whispered when Ella left the room. "I'd really like to speak to Frank."<br>"Frank and your mom are staying on for lunch, so you'll have plenty of time to catch up," she said. "And yes, I think she would mind you not taking her."  
>"Oh okay," he said, now he needed another tactic.<br>In the end, he did what all good daddies do and took his daughter to the dentist.

Mac's last words had been "Call me if you need me", but she didn't actually expect a call.

Ten minutes after she had kissed David hello, the phone rang. It was Wendy, Dr Wescott's nurse. They needed her.  
>Leaving Trish with the kids, Frank drove Mac downtown to the dental surgery and pulled up out the front so she could go in and he could look for parking which was nigh on impossible on a Saturday morning. Rushing through the door, Mac was greeted by the noise of a commotion in the back and the dropping of a metal tray.<br>"What on earth's happening, Wendy?" she asked before spying Ella sitting quietly in the waiting room.  
>"A reluctant patient," she said with a wry smile. "Ella can tell you the rest."<p>

Quickly, Mac sat down beside her daughter and she climbed into her lap.  
>"What happened, sweetheart?" she asked gently.<br>"We came in and Dr Westcott looked in my mouth and said I'd chipped my tooth and that was causing the problem and he'd have to use these tools to fix it and they looked scary," she said. At nine years of age, her six monthly checkups had been nothing more than a look inside and a once-a-year clean.  
>"They do look a bit scary but Dr Westcott doesn't hurt," Mac explained, kissing her head.<br>"I know that now," she said, "But at the start I was a bit scared and wouldn't open my mouth so Dr Westcott had dad sit in the chair and open his mouth so he could show me what he was going to do and when he looked in daddy's mouth he said daddy had those cave things and that he would fix daddy after he saw me."

Mac frowned; Harm had a great dental history. He'd had no work during his six monthly checkups.

"And then..." Ella continued. "Dr Westcott asked dad when he last saw a dentist and dad said in April but Dr Westcott shook his head and then by the time he got the truth from dad he said he hadn't seen a dentist in 20 years...20!"  
>"And where's daddy now?" Mac asked, grimacing when she heard a shout from somewhere at the back of the surgery.<br>"He's in there now and he's making all that noise and he even bit Dr Westcott's finger," Ella said dramatically.  
>"And are you okay?" she asked, caressing the child's face.<br>"Yeah," she said with a nod. "Dr Westcott fixed my tooth and I was brave like you, mommy, but you can tell daddy's not a marine."

Mac laughed as she had Ella slide back into her own seat. "Okay, you sit tight and be good for Wendy and I'll go and check on daddy."

Mac's laughter dissipated when she saw her big, tough husband with tears on his cheeks and a death grip on the arms of the chair.  
>"Hello, Sarah," Dr Westcott said as the nurse suctioned Harm's mouth. "We've had a few dramas here..." he said, holding up his bandaged thumb.<br>"So I heard," she said, moving to stand beside Harm and rub his hand. "What are you doing?"  
>"Two fillings are needed today, a scaling and cleaning are also necessary but we'll do them in a few weeks," he said, as Harm released the arm of the chair in favour of his wife's hand.<br>"Doctor, are we able to have a minute?" she asked, squeezing Harm's hand.

Dr Westcott nodded; "That's a good idea," he said. "I have a patient in for a check-up in the next room and that will take about ten minutes."  
>"Thank you," she replied as the nurse dabbed at Harm's mouth before disappearing out the door after the dentist.<br>"How are you doing?" she asked, caressing his face, hating the look of distress in his watery blue eyes.  
>"Sorry," he whispered. "This is so embarrassing."<br>"You're okay," she said sympathetically, her hand not leaving his face. "Why didn't you tell me you had a fear of dentists?"  
>"Who said I..." he began but Mac tilted her head, his fear was obvious. "Had a bad dental experience when I started at the academy ... did go after I had a tooth knocked out but they gave me gas and I didn't care so much."<br>"Why didn't you let them give you gas today?" she questioned, her thumb running over the swell of his cheek.  
>"Because I have Ella with me...I couldn't drive home..." he said, before taking a deep breath. "I'm really sorry..."<p>

Leaning down, Mac kissed him gently. "Nothing to apologise for," she whispered, rubbing his nose with hers.  
>"There is..." he said, squeezing her hand. "I've had 'dental check-ups' twice a year since we were married and never attended once. Most times I just sat in the car and read."<br>"Alright," she said, the man was suffering enough without making him feel worse about lying. "It's okay."  
>"No, it's not," he said, shaking his head. "I'm 51; I should be able to visit a dentist without bawling like a baby."<br>"That's something we can work on," she said quietly as Dr Westcott came in. "Doctor, can you give him the gas to finish off this procedure and do the cleaning and scaling now too?"  
>"Yes, I can," he replied, moving to the apparatus.<br>"Mac!" Harm protested, "What about Ella?  
>"Grandpa is out there," Dr Westcott offered.<br>"Okay, I'm going to get Frank to take Ella home and I'll drive you," she said, rubbing his arm.  
>Harm nodded but grabbed her arm as Mac took a step away. "You will come back and stay with me in here, won't you?" he pleaded, his eyes filling with tears once more. Mac nodded.<p>

Taking a breath, she went out told a few white lies and sent Ella home with her grandpa before returning to her husband. Sitting on the end of the dental chair, Mac held onto his hand as the gas took effect and used her thumb to rub circles on his hand throughout the procedure. While the thought of her thrill seeker, jet jock, risk taker, never-say-die husband being scared of the dentist seemed funny and odd on so many levels, Mac felt nothing but sympathy for him.

Shaking her head she realised that for the rest of the day, and probably most of the night, she would be spending her time nursing three of her loved ones though their teething problems. She could only hope Ella and Harm were a bit quieter about their distress than Ruby.


End file.
